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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27924076">Flower Fields and a Coffee Shop</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/PopZtart24/pseuds/PopZtart24'>PopZtart24</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Eddsworld - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>EDDPAUL!, Feelings ensue, M/M, No Proofreading We Die Like Men, Patryck as well, Safe for work!, anxiety habits mentioned, anyway, edd is bad with feelings, heehoo pauledd, maybe?????, oh wait too late for that, oh yeah, oh yeah a couple swear words, or am I lying??????, paul blushes at the slightest touch, paul is also bad with feelings, thats a wholeass mood, tord mentioned, ummm i havent written in a long time, unrequited love??????, we got art block fellas</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:33:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,147</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27924076</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/PopZtart24/pseuds/PopZtart24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Paul finally comes back from pursuing a good job and his hobbies! Edd digs up old emotions real quick and all hell breaks loose. <br/>This is my first fic on here, so yeah, just wanted to add to the pauledd community since I know some people are scavenging for content.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Edd/Paul (Eddsworld)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Eddsworld</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Flower Fields and a Coffee Shop</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Edd stretched out his muscles, yawning, bending over to check the time. 2:30 a.m. Shit. He huffed in frustration, resting his head onto his desk, his posture absolutely horrible. He takes a peek up at the screen of where he was drawing. It has a couple basic lines. That’s it. He was going through a horrible art block lately, barely getting by. Trying everything in his power to not rely on his friends for money. He would lie to them, not eat very much, still drank a ton of cola though.</p>
<p>As the screens started to go dim from Edd’s lack of activity, he sat up, and moved the mouse, determined to at least get a sketch in. He took a long sip of his cola and focused.</p>
<p>After another hour, Edd had finished a basic sketch. It wasn’t much, just some guy resting in a flower field. He thought it might be a soothing thing to draw. He turned off his computer, finally giving in to his fatigue. He laid himself down on his bed and turned off his light, quickly falling asleep. </p>
<p>When he woke up, he felt horrible. His head pounded and his muscles ached. He stretched a bit before starting to sit up, yawning for a long time and rubbing his eyes. He dragged himself out of bed and threw on some jeans and his hoodie, being lazy and just keeping the shirt he wore to bed on. </p>
<p>After getting the basic morning routine done, he headed into the kitchen to find Tom and Matt watching tv. Tom noticed him and perked up, “hey Edd, finally up I see?” Edd looked at him confused.</p>
<p>“What do you mean finally, its only like 9…” He looked over at the clock on the wall, indicating it was 3 o’ clock, “oh.” He went and grabbed cola from the fridge and went to find a seat in the living room to watch whatever nonsense was on the tv. </p>
<p>“A friend of yours dropped by Edd! You were still asleep and we didn’t want to wake you, but we got his number so you could contact him!” Matt took out a piece of paper in his pocket and handed it to Edd. It was a small piece of paper with his number on it and then below it, the name ‘Paul’ and a smiley face next to it.</p>
<p>“Paul…? I haven’t seen him in forever! Aw man I can’t believe I was asleep.” Edd pouted.</p>
<p>“Well, just text him, see if he wants to come over or do some shit, I don’t know.” Tom shrugged, not even turning to make eye contact with Edd. Edd liked this idea however, and pulled out his phone, quickly putting in the number.</p>
<p>‘Hey Paul! It’s been so long! Sorry I was asleep!’ Edd had typed out, sending it, and waited patiently for a response.</p>
<p>After a while he got an answer,<br/>‘No worries! It has been a while, I was wondering if you wanted to get together sometime soon?’ The question left Edd very excited, he sent an excited response, telling him he would love to. They arranged plans to go to a coffee shop tomorrow afternoon and then just do whatever after. Edd was in a much better mood the rest of the day. He cleaned up his room a bit, and even got farther on his drawing! It started to come together very nicely.</p>
<p>The next day came sooner than later, and Edd was already finding himself looking for something a little better to wear than just his green hoodie. (Even though he still had three hours before he needed to leave).  He pulled out a random shirt that had a little pocket with a sewn cat design on it. He threw that on, and tied a green and black flannel around his waist, deciding that was good enough. With his brown jeans and red sneakers, he said goodbye to his friends and made his way to the coffee shop.</p>
<p>He turned the corner and entered the shop, looking up and around for his friend, before noticing him at a small table, he was waving for him to come over. A smile grew on Edd’s face as he made his way to the table, sitting on the other side. “Paul! Oh my god it's so good to see you!” Edd exclaimed</p>
<p>“It has been a while, hasn’t it, how have you been?” Paul responded. He was wearing a red sweater and gray pants, Edd noticed that he had a small scar under his right eye, but kept it in mind to ask about later.</p>
<p>“Yeah it really has. I’ve been good, Matt and Tom are good, they never really got to know you, so that’s probably why they were a little confused when you came to the door.” Edd laughs a little awkwardly.</p>
<p>“That’s good! I had fun being away, but something just brought me back here. Guess I couldn’t leave you.” Paul had said, extremely awkwardly. Edd felt butterflies in his stomach and tried to hold back his face from turning red.</p>
<p>“Heh… I’ve missed having you around, Paul. What have you been up to anyway?” Edd asked curiously. He did leave a bit mysteriously, but Edd didn’t press on it too much, Paul could do whatever he wanted with his life, Edd wasn’t going to stop him.</p>
<p>Paul seemed to get a little nervous around that question, “w-well, just tried to pursue a couple of my hobbies, I’ve always been into tech and machinery, wanting to know how things work and what makes them work. So I just um, participated in a couple of programs and learned some new things, found out I could get a pretty stable job here, so I came back.” Paul explained. He was obviously nervous and stuttered his way into lying, but Edd took it as embarrassment.</p>
<p>“You don’t need to be embarrassed for your hobbies dude! You’re really talented!” Edd laughed, playfully punching his arm.</p>
<p>“You’re just as talented Edd, how has the art career been going for ya?” Paul asked </p>
<p>Edd tensed up, feeling sick to his stomach. It hadn’t been doing well. At this point, he’d need a second job. He felt useless and pathetic, and couldn’t draw for shit. But, he didn’t want to dump that on Paul. He doesn’t need it. “U-uh… pretty well just, little art block but, still goin strong!” Edd said, lying through his teeth.</p>
<p>“That’s good, I’m glad.” There was a silent pause for a moment before Paul spoke up again, “S-so, um, we should definitely hang out more because, I’ve uh, missed seeing you. T-Tom and Matt can always tag along too, of course.” This put a grin on Edd’s face. </p>
<p>“Of course! I’d love to keep hanging out more!” He said enthusiastically. “We said we wanted to go do something after this, do you have anything in mind?”</p>
<p>“I-I was thinking about going to the park a couple blocks away? Y’know, we could just talk and walk around, get Vitamin D instead of rotting away inside.” He laughs at the last part.</p>
<p>“Yeah! Let’s do it!” Edd finished his drink, which he had ordered on his phone and they brought to him, and stood up, he grabbed Paul’s hand and pulled him up. Paul burst into a blush but was able to hide it successfully. He let out a breath he didn’t even know he was holding. The pair discarded their drinks and walked out the door, turning the corner and heading for the park. Small banter continued throughout their walk, mostly about their lives, past memories, and other similar things. They arrived at the park, sitting underneath a tree near a small pond. They’d gone quiet after a bit, but it wasn’t awkward. Edd looked over at Paul’s face, somewhat studying it. The scar under his right eye that he’d noticed earlier looked almost healed, but his right eye looked a bit cloudy, maybe something had happened to his eye?</p>
<p>Paul was looking out at the pond, feeling very peaceful. He noticed Edd staring at him and tried his best not to laugh. A small smile spread across his face. He looked so zoned out, like he was focusing on a test or something. What he didn’t expect was for Edd to suddenly look at him with a soft face of… concern?</p>
<p>“What happened to your eye? There’s a scar…” Edd commented. Paul tensed. He wasn’t going to tell him. He wasn’t going to tell his friend he worked for Tord. His old friend who left them. Explain to him that Tord ran an army that planned to take over the world. That the zombie apocalypse that happened not long ago was caused by his stupid fuckup? That he crashed the plane? That while fighting off a zombie hoard, he was scratched across the face, rendering him unable to see from that eye. That he almost died if it hadn’t been for Patryck who stepped in and killed the zombie, taking Paul somewhere safe.</p>
<p>“M-machinery accident… Uh… the machine I was working on was malfunctioning and one thing led to another and the next thing I knew was I couldn’t see out of my right eye. I had to keep it in bandages for weeks, but I can somewhat see from it. At least my other eye functions alright.” He lied, but it wasn’t too bad for a lie. </p>
<p>“Oh my gosh that’s horrible! I’m glad you’re okay though!” Edd said, his hand on Paul’s shoulder. Paul looked at his hand and heat rushed to his face. Why did he keep doing this every time Edd touched him?! Instead of saying something, he just hummed in response. The rest of them hanging out was filled with comfortable silence, jokes, and small talk. </p>
<p>Soon enough they parted ways, waving to each other as they parted. Edd walked home with a giddy grin across his face. But being away from Paul made him feel a bit empty. He pressed his lips together in a confused look and got lost in thought. It had been so long since he had seen Paul, and seeing his face, and his smile, hearing his laugh, it made him feel… weird. The feelings couldn’t be coming back could they? He told himself he was over that so long ago! He thought back to the first time he realized he had developed “more than friends” feelings towards his friend. It scared Edd, and he started to distance himself. He would hang out less and less with him. He didn’t want Paul to be uncomfortable if he did anything out of line. Eventually, he pushed it back far enough, when Paul had disappeared from him. It was bittersweet. He had distanced someone he loved to protect them, only for them to leave him. Edd had accepted that this was best for him.</p>
<p>Now that Paul is back, he doesn’t know what to feel. But he doesn’t want to push him away again. He walks back into the house with a sigh, and waves at his friends, before heading into his room. He sits down at his desk and pulls up his drawing, now having a little more inspiration than before. </p>
<p>Before long, it was midnight, and his body felt extremely heavy. He had finished the drawing. Not only was it some guy laying in a field of flowers, it was Paul laying in a field of flowers. Damn, he was in deep. He stretched out his muscles before laying down in bed, falling asleep thinking about what he was going to do about his situation.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>~~~~Time skip because my writing is rusty and also because this is a oneshot~~~~</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It had been a month. A whole month. Edd had avoided Paul for a whole month. Once he reopened the can of worms that is his love for Paul, he didn’t know what to do. Edd had gotten back into the bad habit of biting his nails, especially when the topic of hanging out with Paul came up. He would text and call him, sure, but when he asked if Edd and him wanted to get together, he’d always make up an excuse. </p>
<p>Edd knew this was embarrassing, and that he really shouldn’t be making such a big deal of it, but he was never one to know how to handle emotions. Especially love. </p>
<p>It was a saturday afternoon, when a knock came at the door. Edd was in his room so he assumed someone else would get it. Within a few seconds, Matt had opened the door. He couldn’t exactly hear who it was, but he didn’t worry about it. He hummed along to his music and continued drawing, his art block had gotten better after Paul came back. So, that was good. </p>
<p>Suddenly there was a knock at his door, Edd, confused, told the person to come in. Neither Matt or Tom ever knocked so he didn’t have any idea why it started. But when Paul came in the room and locked eyes with Edd, his heart sank.</p>
<p>There, standing in front of him was the friend he had avoided for a month now, and Paul seemed to have a worried look on his face. Meanwhile, Edd sat there in shock. He stared at Paul, his eyes wide, and his music still playing. Paul finally broke the silence by clearing his throat.</p>
<p>“So… Um… I don’t exactly know if this is true, but, it feels like you’re avoiding me?” Paul awkwardly stuttered out. Those words shattered Edd’s heart. He didn’t mean to hurt him. “A-and I just wanted to come by and… y’know, ask if I did something wrong, because I’d really like to apologize, Edd. I would never mean to offend you or--”</p>
<p>“No! It’s not- it’s not like that!” Edd interrupted, standing up quickly after pausing his music. “I just… I-I didn’t I don’t... I don’t know h-how to explain it.” He mumbled, extremely nervously.</p>
<p>“Well, the last time I lived here, it seemed like I didn’t see a lot of you before I left, and I took it as you being busy but I just… I feel like I did something wrong o-or you hate me or something…” Paul seemed to get a little choked up at those last few words. </p>
<p>“Paul, I, of course I don’t hate you! I just… It’s just… I…” </p>
<p>“Y-you really do hate me don’t you? Y-you d-don’t have to hide it t-to make me feel better.”</p>
<p>Edd’s heart sank. He could hear the brokenness in his voice, and it tore him apart. But how could he tell him? He had no excuse out of this one, he didn’t know what he could say or do, if he confessed he’d make a fool of himself. But if he didn’t, Paul would think he hated him, but if Edd just told him, he would understand, he could explain himself. It could make Paul hate him, but at least Paul wouldn’t think Edd hated him… the bottled up emotions inside him were suffocating. It didn’t take too much more thinking before they exploded.</p>
<p>“...I-I...I… I’M IN LOVE WITH YOU, PAUL!” He yelled out, and everything inside him broke.</p>
<p>“I don’t know how long I’ve felt this way, but ever since, I couldn’t stop thinking about you, and it scared me! I-I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable, so I distanced myself, because I thought you’d be better off without me! Paul, I understand if you hate me or you’re weirded, out, I just can’t sit here and let you think I hate you! Because I don’t! I never would in a million years! You are amazing, and you make me laugh, and you’re always there, a-and you’re s-smile i-is like the sun… a-and everytime I look at you, I fall in love again!” There were tears pouring down Edd’s face, his eyes screwed shut, as he let everything he had kept inside him for so long, out into the open. He released all the butterflies from inside him. He started to choke on his spit and sob, not able to form any more words as he fell to his knees.</p>
<p>Paul was taken aback, he didn’t know what to say, and there were small tears streaming down his own face. “Edd…” He didn’t even think, before he knelt down in front of Edd, who looked up at him with such a pained look. And the moment he saw it, Paul knew he never wanted Edd to feel that way, and before either of them could process it, Paul’s lips were on Edd’s. Paul wrapped his arms as tightly as he could around Edd, and kissed him passionately, letting him know he was here, that Paul still… loved him.</p>
<p>Edd’s eyes shot open in surprise, he couldn’t believe what was happening. The moment he felt Paul’s strong arms around him, Edd wrapped his arms around Paul’s neck, kissing him back, feeling the small hiccups coming from his sobs calm down as he lost himself in Paul’s embrace.</p>
<p>The two parted, looking each other in the eyes, breathless. Both their faces dusted in a bright red. “Edd… I love you too… Please don’t believe otherwise, okay?” Paul said, pressing their foreheads together. </p>
<p>Edd’s tears were no longer from sadness or heartbreak, but happiness and love. He smiled lightly before tackling Paul into a hug and kissing him again. He never wanted to let him go. </p>
<p>After a few moments, a light growling interrupted them, making them both pause and start to laugh. “I guess it’s been a few hours since I ate…” Edd explained, and started to stand up, putting his hand out for Paul to grab, in which he took eagerly, pulling himself up. <br/>“We could go out to eat?” Paul suggested, and Edd nodded. He grabbed a hoodie, his wallet and left his room, Paul following behind him. </p>
<p>“Hey Matt, hey Tom, we’re going to go out and get dinner, do you want to come?” Edd asked them, seeing as they were both sitting watching tv, again. </p>
<p>“You sure you two don’t want to be alone on your first date?” Tom remarked, to which both of them blushed. </p>
<p>“I-It’s n-not a date, otherwise we wouldn’t be inviting you!” Edd told him, folding his arms together.</p>
<p>Tom shrugged, “alright then, let’s go.” He stood up, switching off the tv and heading towards the door. Matt followed suit, and the four of them left the house. As they walked, Edd grabbed Paul’s hand, walking closer to him, and leaned his head on his shoulder as they walked. The picture Edd drew of Paul in the flower field flashing through his mind. He was happy. No, he was even more than happy, because for once, love worked out in his favor.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading<br/>Please go follow Strawberryrosewood! (thats my gf jfsjdlfj) <br/>She makes really good oneshots, and there's more PaulEdd content there! She's an amazing writer.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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